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NEWS OF OAKLAND, BERKELEY, ALAMEDA, HAYWARD AND SAN LEANDRO DAN CUPID'S PLANS ENLIVEN LUNCHEON Engagement of Miss Mollie * Mathes and Lester A. Greene Is Revealed at Feast OAKLAND. Dec. 27.— The most in teresting betrothal announcement of the season wae made this afternoon when the engagement of Lester j/A. Greene and Miss Mollie Mathes was told at a luncheon given by Mrs. Frank Proctor at the Claremont country club. Greene belongs to a Chicago family. He came to the coast a few years ago to establish himself in business in San Francisco. .His fiancee is the daugh ter of Mr. and Mrs. Dana Homer Mathes. one of the oldest families on this sia« of the bay. Miss Mathes has been popular In the younger set and promi nent in society in San Francisco as well as in Oakland. She has been for several seasons a. member of the Fri day Night club, the Assembly club and several other organizations. Although no definite plans have been rr.ade for the wedding it will be. cele brated early In the spring. A number of affairs are being arranged in Miss Mathes' honor. A score of the friends of Mrs. Proc tor and Miss Mathes enjoyed the lunch eon at which the announcement was made. In honor of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ken n«dy Jackson, formerly Miss Gfadys Maxwell, Mr. and Mrs.H. • O. Capwell and Mis? Dorothy Capwell will give a rip.r.ce at the Claremont country club Friday evening. January^ 6. A large number nf the smart set "was included In the invitations, which were issued today. Mr. and Mrs. James Hisgins will en tertain more than a score of members r*t one of the winter's card clubs Satur day evening. A dainty supper will be ** * * Mrs. Edwin GoodaH. Dr. C. M. Cooper find Mrs. Cooper ' have closed their T-akeside residence' and taken apart ments .at the Fairmont for the winter. Mis? Ruth Soule will entertain a number of the younger set at a holi day dance at her home in Alameda Monday evening. £9?3gi In the presence of a few friends last evening Frank McNutt claimed Miss Mabel Paul as his bride at the resi dence of the bride's parents. Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Paul, in Alameda. The service was read by Rev. Robert Mc- Hatton of Fruitvale. After their hon eyrhoon Mr. and Mrs. McNutt will es tablip'i their residence in San Fran c!sco, where the bridegroom is engaged in business. DESPONDENCY CAUSED WHERRY TO KILL SELF Son of Missionary a Suicide in Mexico BERKELEY, Dec. 27. — Robert R. Wherry.' son of Dr.* John Wherry, for many years a missionary in the orient, committed suicide" at Sierra Madre, Mpx. Despondency due to ill health is the reason feiven for the act. For many years Wherry has been suffering from tubercular troubjp. His body was found with a bullet hole in the head at the foot of Mount Wilson in Sierra Madre. He was 37 years of age. and is sur vived by a widow and two children. His «ist«?r. Edith Wherry, author of "A Great Gulf Fixed," is traveling in Europe with her father. Two brothers livinj? in N*"w York also survive. Wherry was a graduate of Princeton university and the New York law school. He. was. secretary of a cement company at. Sierra Madre. CUPID MAKES SHASTA SHERIFF A PRISONER Official Marries Redding Belle in Oakland OAKLAND. Dec. 27.— .TameE L. Mont gomery, sheriff of Shasta county, and Msi=s Masie Jordan of Redding, were married this afternoon by Justice of the P<=ace Quinn. after a hasty trip from the northern county. The couple ar rived in Oakland this morning and secured the marriage license as soon as poss=ibl<». Following the tying of the knot they returned home. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Irby Jordan of Redding, and Is one of the belles of that city. She is 25 years old. Montgomery, one of the most popular officials of the section, also is a resident of Redding, and is 52 years old. The bride was modishly gowned in a light gray tailored suit, and wore a large black hat laden with ostrich plumes. SLEEPY MAN STEPS FROM MOVING TRAIN Proprietor of Five Point House, Redwood City, Severely Hurt [Special D'upalch to The Call] REDWOOD CITY, Dec. 27. — Aroused from a sound *!eep in the smoking car of a rapidly moving passenger train and told of the proximity of his des tination, John Meyer, proprietor of the Five Point house in this city, rushed in a daz^d condition to the plat form and stepped from the train near the Dumbarton cutoff at 7:20 o'clock last night. He KUFtained a fractured thigh and hip, a broken finger and possibly a fractured skull, and received numerous cuts and bruises t on the face and body. Meyer was a -*nenVber of a party of 40 who wenttoHollister. to attend the funeral of Matt Wilson yesterday. Dn=. J. L. Ross and H. W. Taggart declare that unless complications set in Meyer wil recover. UNIDENTIFIED BODY FOUND JN THE BAY George Hamon, Machinist, Is Missing From Home ALAMEDA. | Deaf 27.~Theibadly]|dJ composed' body of a man was recov ered from the bay near Bay Farm isl and this afternoon by Dr. C. M.L,indsey of Oakland, who, while hunting, no ticed the body drifting with the cur rent. . , . The body. is. that : of a man about. s feet 9 Inches in height. It- was at tired in a blue'serge suit, blue stock ings and tie and oxford shoes. The underwear was of good quality and In good condition. The body had evidently been m the waterabout three weeks. -The body may be that of George Ha mon. ,a machinist,- who . disappeared three weeks 'ago from his home,_ 464 DeVisadero street, San Francisco, as the clothing corresponds to. the description Hamon's wife reported his disappear ance to the- San Francisco police last night;.;: ",-r-^-u— _— — — — \u25a0-^-:-^- SOCIETY GIRL TELLS OF HER BETROTHAL Miss Mollie Mather, "who is engaged to be married to Lester. A. Greene of San Francisco. . SWITCH CHARGES ARE DYING HARD Railways Permitted to Continue Exactions Until March 1 Pending Court Decision WASHINGTON. De^ 27. — By an order of the interstate commerce commission announced today the switching charges exacted by the railroads in I-os Angeles and San Francisco, Cal.; will continue in. effect until March 1, i9ll,at least. .These exactions aggregate many thou sands of dollars annually. About a year ago the Associated Job bers of Los Ang-eles and the Pacific Coast jobbers and jnaniifacturers' association of San FranoFsco filed complaints with the commission against the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe and the Southern Pacific/alleging- that the .switching: charge of $2.50 a car assessed by the defendant lines on shippers for the plating of cars on sidings ,or spur tracks was unreasonable and discrim inatory. The commission after a- full hearing ordered the discontinuance qX /the charge July 1, 1910. Subsequently pro ceedings were instituted in the courts by the defendants to. annul the order of the commission. Thereupon the com mission, pending a decision of the courts, extended the effective date. of its order to 'January 1, 1911. -As tile case has not been decided the commis sion today granted a further extension of its order until March 1. . Meantime switching charges are be ing exacted by the railroads. If the> commission's orders should be eventu ally sustained by the courts the ship pers will have cause. for asking repara tion in a large # sum from the railroads TANFORAiN ACCUSED OF THREATS TO KILL WIFE Husband Alleged to; Have Com= pelled Deeding of Property [Special Dispatch to The Call] SAN RAFAEL,.. Dec. 27.— That she deeded valuable property.- interests to her husband becrfuse he threatened to kill her if she did.not Is the statement contained in a suit filed against Frank C. Tanforan by . his wife; Stella for recovery of the property. ; The'Tan forans have resided for years on a part of the big Valencia estate six miles north of hern near, Ignacio. The prop erty involved comprises a. seventh ,of the $100,000 estate of Mrs.. Catilina Valencia, mother of Mrs. Tanforan and sister of Supervisor G. Pacheoa. . Tanforan comes of the family after which the Tanforan racetrack was named. -\u25a0 his father having been; a" wealthy' rancher and' breeder.' of fine horses. , . -" , '\u0084'. Mrs. Tanforan ocupies the old, Black homestead,;, where- General Freemont was entertained at 'the time'of the Bear. Flag war. ALUMNI -ASSOCIATION GATHERS AT BERKELEY Northern California Members Hold Reception [Special Dispatch to The Call] BERKELEY,' Dec 27.— Members of Alumni • association.! of northern Cali fornia gave a reception at the Shattuck hotel this evening in honor ?of -Dr. George Jones, dean "of • college;. of education; of "the University of ;Mlnne-" sota. Fifty members of i theVassocia tion attended.-/,' Among the guests! were Professor . George -A;- Clark, secretary,' and Miss i Mary/Brooks; librarian of : : Le- Jaiid : Stanford : ? imiversity;'..OfHcers7 of the association .whoj received- the guests \vere:;W. A.%Chowen, ; president; Dr. Robert Schneider of the! University; of California, -vice-president,';:-; and "\u25a0 Miss Clara Edith: Bailey of : the' Oakland high school,: secretary.' ' '*• ; -^\u0084- -;••\u25a0'•" * THE S^ mAN^^ MRS. KELLOGG TO BE BURIED TODAY Services Will Be Conducted at the Home in Bushnell Place BERKELEY. Dec. 27.— The. funeral of Mrs. Louise Wells Kellogg, widow of the late Dr. Martin Kellogg, president of the University of California, will be held tomorrow morning at 1 o'clockat her homo in -Bushnell place, in" which she resided for the last" 37 years.; Mrs. George D. Metcalf,'.' a sister, 'and "wife, of an Oakland attorney, is her only living, relative. \u25a0 \u25a0 . . . The funeral "service, tomorrow will be simple. ; Interment will be : ln Moun tain View cjemetery. Mrs. Kellogg died unexpectedly, Sun day # night o£. heart y. disease .after" an illness of a week. \u25a0 . JOHNSON AFRAID OF HIS CHAUFFEUR 1 8 Year Old French Mechanician Is Arrested for Alleged \u25a0*;'.% Threats on Life [Special Dispatch to The Call] Chicago; pec. 27. — What /jack Johnson, heavy weight champion;. of the world, 1 firmly believes was' a narrow escape from death was revealed today when" Gaston Le Fort,.;a!French; me chanician,; 38- years old, who, had been acting. as chauffeur for the : riegro, was taken. into custodjV" AfterLe Fort, accordingjto thefam-' ily of the nef?rb,. had threatened to kill Johnson on Christmas" eve ' at the; John son residence, he . was \u25a0 shadowed '\u25a0 • and his arrest* followed' lastl night.' : ' . Troubled lias :J been brewinK" in ... the Johnson household"" ever.; since';; the champion claimed : he ..'.wars r suffering from ptomaine poisoning, at ? Lowell, Mass., and went to '•; Boston fforr r medical treatment.;" At" "that time a J stories; of his nervous breakdown, were' circu lated. .Shortly/ ; before; 1 this if Johnson; while ,in New York, ; had 'engasedWLe Fort as chauffeur.. , ..,.'/., .',".' •According- to .Tohnpon, a ' friendship appeared ; ot existv,between : the- woman who ris known -asy the pugilist's JJwif e and the "chauffeur."^ From 'Boston;; John son -'returned , to." Chicago -to -recover from the "effects of .while ; here confided ; to ; friends that; he feared -attempts .: to "?do/him: injury. '-: Detectives were ; employed; and -Yon Christmas \u25a0 eve", reported *to "Johnson ' that Le .' Fort ; and > the < woman jfwer'e ? out- to gether and ? were seen Jat, several • places on .the 'south'; sidei Johnson i found her. and-, later; she \ was: vremoved-hto^ the AVashington Park J hospital,*^ apparently, suff eri ng \u25a0from*; physical Violence. '>•' \u25a0 - \ During vthe . 'night; Le/ ; Fort, 1- it ',' is claimed- at- the *JoJinlsonfresidence; : ; made three or 'four attempts Itojg'et^inlah en trance '„ to the 'house • through" the i rear door/; but- was* unable _'\u25a0< tof&o ?s'o; because of the: interfference. of- Jack's andf; sisters.. : ToY them; 'he^madeSthe threat, it is, said,* that he * was : ."going; to kill' the .champion*' arid, his vwife. \u25a0 J ' MIDWINTERmEAQUE £ \u2666 ," .".'".' 'l .' — . '-. ' .\u25a0- — -— -\u2666•' -The">taincPi.plß.rpd~by- the \u25a0 teams f composing the y : California *; baseball:.;; proteetiTelUeagne" 1 on Monday resulted; as follows: ;\u25a0:.-. -.'\u25a0.'. \u0084.. . ;.- \u25a0" Class A—^Kaspillers * 9.'> Yoseniltes O,S at * High land ; park ; > Turkey * Reds \ o,¥ Booth j Crescents 1 0,* at I Lincoln ; park :> Clan > monts'-*2.'« Gas 0 " nti St.-'Merj-'s college; iMoss;Beach' 3' Goodyears o, at ' Oaklan d: r Army. 6; ' Clarions : 3,' 'at \u25a0 Presidio athletlc : ground*." - •: \u25a0, ; ,; . > - — Class?B— Doud«:9. s ' Halght Street'-Marehants'iO/ atf-Lobosaßquarej^Mlstloa^MerehaxitßylS.-^Kast Richmond 1 8, *at \u25a0 East * Richmond ; _ Acmes B r^ Colts 3, at; Seventh s aadvHanlaoa,' grounds.' \u25a0 \u25a0\u25a0-;>"..? DIVORCE DELAYED BY LACK OF COIN Husband Wil\ing to Be Sepa rated From Wife; but Can't Pay Costs " if- OAKLAND, Dec. 27. — >Tudge Ogden declined' to accept; the plea of Samuel Nelson that he was .too poor to pay "his wife's costs in the; divorce suitpending between, them. -"Nelson said that; he -had no objection; to his -wife' Addie'.; getting 'a'diyofce. decree.Tbut.he could not; give her the money she wanted, for her 'at torney and '.witnesses.',' \Judge • Ogden gave ; him- until: January :24 to get.' s the money, and in the>rrieantime refiised'to make -any progress ;in the suit until thai' date. : : " """" ." :-*\u25a0 '". . * •."*" ;. ' \u0084; According to j Mrs. Ida. T. -Ward,' her husband, •'.; Arthur,", did \u25a0\u25a0'; riot give .her enough.. money , to : buy," proper clothing and^fqund \u25a0fault^withfher,: because 'sh«" was"; not. 'dressed Vsultably7 J -Mrs.-: Ward bega."n ; siilt '. f or'.; diyorce^.today^. on*. the ground of habitual neglect. >" ' ; ' ; Holding that ; neither «Emery R. Gates nor;hls wife,'- Josepliine, had told ; the truth,'*' Judge <-Ellsw6rth' "today ; denied both, a -divorce ."decree.'-.; Gates -sued : his wife on the ground^of desertion, and she "filed a ;cross ; complaint alleging habitual, neglect. : . Mary G.Goff. was given a final, decree from Jesse J.'Goff.,' - . :. PUPILS WILL BE GUESTS OF PUCKETT Prominent Dancing Teacher to Give Seventeenth Anniver= sary Ball Tonight The seventeenth grand anniversary ball Mo the graduates and, pupils ' of Puckett's dancing- school will; be given at Puckett's Cotiilion hall in Church street near Duboce avenue this . evening at 8 o'clock. George R. Puckett will be host and 'several hundred of his. present and former pupils_ will be his guests. . : For more than 20 years the dancing schools under the genial leadership of Puckett have "-flourished in I Polk and Church {streets, and the last 17 years haveibeen -marked; by big. annual-Haalls to which alljof ; his pupils, past and present, 'have been welcome. -These re ceptions always have .been 'of - a jolly and informal nature 'and -have been given ..over,: to. dancing,' \u25a0\u25a0with- a supper at-midnight. ~\' : '/'.'\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0'. ";./..-'^v-s- ';\u25a0 "-;.\u25a0. \u25a0\u25a0-'-}_ ; "Tonight^the ball willjbe; on a more elaborate, scale' than \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 usual,, as a beauti ful souvenir; will be presented to the guests by \ the grand master :of ; cere monles, :and in "the cotillon;- which promises to be one. of the most, inter esting featttres^; the-; favors will betih terestlnglandVuhique., The; decorations also will be'unusual, 1 great: quantities of red berries ; and ; flaming poinsettias, with evergreens, in" honor of , the sea-, son, turning the vast: Cotillion hall into a bower Tof^bloom. — \u25a0\u25a0 • \u25a0 \u25a0• - • These; annual;reunions arranged- by Puckett, ' who has stood \ for • many \u25a0 yea rs at^ the head of "the dancing .masters in this city, have always proved^most.en joyable £ affairs,"; arid = tonight ., a,, larger and -. more' \u25a0 brilliant ; assemblage r than usual, is* assured.' ' Puplls.rahging back through all; the ; years.sine© ,"the ? first classes : were ;• formed" have signified their --. intention ~\ of v.being . present, .; so from X present ;; estimates \u25a0\u25a0,- 500 or" more guests will assemble under Puckett's leadership. ":>''"• . \u0084 ; '.- The i ball' will; open --at- 8 o'clock and will continue until as late as the danc ers see 'fit, ; the",' hall .arid" the- floor and the excellent music ; of S-^the '.; regular orchestra ; being all at their; disposal. All of" the new dances thatare'.the rage among 'then social lights of .:: Paris I and New York, and" which have been ;in cluded j on L the \u25a0' 1 IstVof \u25a0 this :year's 5 danc ing lessons :in the classes : at ; the two academies, will be* seen tonight," 'the Boston, the skaters and thfv other fash ionable '". dances", of . the , winter : being among- accomplishments -In which pupils jexcel.' ' . ;'"'.'-.. ' - v W ' sluiTOR USES GAS PIPE: ON HEADOF HISRIVAL Course of ' True Love Strenuous at Belmorit [Special -Dispatch to The Call] BELMONT, Dec. 27.- — Too manysuit ora- for the'hand- of th« same girl -Is said to have caused Stanislau Cisnax arid ," Johht 'Midolatis/i employes*' of the San Ca-rlosfdairy, ". to beat ;R: ; Savitska on 'the head with -a gas -pipe ;in the road leading "to Belmont t school last night: :;; v V, >- ' ' \u25a0:' : -\u25a0'-.'• '\u25a0' :.Cisnaor, and ; Midplatis ' were arrested this Jmorning; arid .charged -with assault with a deadly weapon... \u0084/~. " ;. . \u25a0] . Savitska; ; who . isVemployed ,by Super intendent; Dale of .the fAllard-Pearsall properties.\ls,in;a r serious condition. . WOMAN FATALLY HURT ; AS ENGINE HITS AUTO '•'; V ISAL.I A^DecJ; 27:-r-Mrs. T. . E. ? L»Mc- Faydehwas fatally f Injured and her^hus band.Va} Fresno i.businessman.i; slightly hurt i at .; Goshen g Junction tf yesterday evening when their •automobile h was struck; by: an? engine,' : . : which; was back ing. on; ; the '; . Southern "-•\u25a0; Pacific ""track : ; : at the -crossing. '.Fred Housei ;,who' was i; ac companying the McFaydens on a : - motor-, cyjclerr called,' to tthe 'i engineer '£ to \u25a0: stopj but' too ; late|' to. /avert ; the;; collision. ; The {engineer/ declared 1 that he did hot see? the :automobile;> which was wrecked." \u25a0'hi lo^^|wta#lp \ijl science^ jDossesM I\J Ji Mwear{andtretairii / r r (i X]^i7k>hcl^ Brilliancy. /. \ ; iY\ '\u25a0jJvU&'V' EXCUWWE COAST A6EHTT '/ I .1- ; No agents -or -. branch f: stores! ; -This; gem is^not» sold^elsewliere* ;qn the -pacific; Coast:; Beware oft substitutes. ,*.'*;/ •; .; - :4CATAJLOC^ ONJ REQIJEST-H REFUGEE SHACKS STIR UP ARGUMENT Health Board Hears Plea of Re= tention, but Orders Some Removed ; .Orderly \u25a0routine^ was enlivened at ; the meeting . of .. the "board * of / health ;, last night by' Dennis Murray; who protested against \u25a0 the dispossession of- aged women* from their refugee abodes. He replied to Dr." ; W>F:- ; McNu'tfs criticism of .1 certain inemb'ersTfqr," lack ;of- .'sup- Vprt-fhy ;;say,ing he-stood»with/the poor people.- favoring; the retention of ; refu gee .shacks where- the ; occupants 'were unable to pay. Tent. ; ' . Upon; complaint 1 of representatives from^thej West; End- betterments club a 1 12; shacksa c ks \u25a0\u25a0 in \u25a0,itiejTloo\, itiej Tl o o \ bloc k Vl n> Tu r k .street;i were : ordered .'removed. -Wlien therboard seemedaboutito'.take similar action' in the case of Mrs. C." McConnell, 63 > y§ars old, Murray^ objected. Action onher'refugee home at 648Point'Ii6bos avenue was - deferred. Attorney j;.L:*"Nagle "told the -board thatVboth'Mrs. Heih^andUhe, house she occupied 'at 203 Parker "avenue were undesirable/ •. A- policeman " had inti mated that-she sold liquor there, and. pendingproof- of the lawyer's charges, 'board ' postponed action. • Su pervi sors • Heal y a nd Walsh • of i the hospital and Jiealtli cornmitte'eTappeared' befoce -the board of health, regarding appropriations for more -medical;.-in spectors and. 'nurses in the schools. At \u25a0present there is onlyone inspector'and a.:Staq*of four nurses to look .after :85 schools with 44,000 pupils. Doctor McXutt estimated there should be, one nurse for each 30,000 of .popula tion. •' 'Doctor AVemple,' the present in spector,, aaked the supervisors for at least* four assistants. Nurses, he said, discovered diseases in the schools^. and 60 '.schools, especially the primary, needed; inspection. - i \^-L^'-'- .While they "felt it Impossible to ap propriate funds at this.time. Walsh and Healy promised to bring the matter before, the board of :• supervisors at its '.next meeting. w Sanitaa\v : conditions ln^the Everett school. were stated by Frank J. Klimm to be deplorable.^ The health commit tee, will recommend setting apart $12. 000' for repairing, the plumbing. - 16 YEAR OLD BURGLAR; * SHOT AND IS DYING Mother; Dreams of Son's Death on Night- of; Shooting TACOMAv Dec. 27.— Victor A. Seeley. a 16year old burglar, found, robbing a grocery, store in the .residence" section at 1, o'clock this morning, and shot: by Patrolman Garberg after, refusing to heed : a command to hold up his hands, is dying. In .the. hospital. The bullet entered -the ; lower, part of the -boy's back and perforated the intestines In several places. ' ; -.'.' .George "Turner, ; another boy sought by';<.the -police, made ihis escape. The boys', were * recently employed *as , mes sengers, : but are said; by. the,pollce ;to have been implicated In, several recent burglaries.. 1 ;• ' : - Seeley has lived: with l .his parents at South'," Tacoma. Last night his mother dreamed of her , son's 'death, and - the news of the shooting of; the boy was brought to her. at -daybreak. . * LICENSES IESUEIX— Rpdwood City,' Deo. 27.— Tiio.follorrlnjr. marrlß(te ; licenses haT9 been lowed: OliTer W. Kay. 30. and Gold!*- M. Roberts. . 20. both of v San Francisco; Morris Fointalne. 23, -and" Raymond Archibald. . 23, "- both of. San- Francisco; - Ulywes Goldonx. 35 \u25a0 San Mateo. 1 and Mary H. -\u25a0 McMillan. 36. Bur llngamP: Michael Baker. 32. and Margaret \u25a0 Burke. 28. - both of San Mateo. ; Jlllilllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllll mf- • GHina was nearly closed to trade by H x = ; ! fßo^so^ on the part of S H 1 Geiyf^tny; Rnglandand France American diplo- H I m niaby saw its chance, ai^ of shrewdness B g qf rts own not &nly op^n^cfrwicie the door of . H I= I GhiiifV to trade, but failed it open B m i The dnter^stmg inside t ijistpry of this is told by H %g ;! f I^redefick Mc^ormick in ** HoY^Arhenc^ Got Into H sjv Ghiha/' m The Century for January It is one of §§ H ': that series of important trade articles fpr business S i 3 riliei \ is^a: feature ' of i^he- Century for 191 1 ; g === . . *"• rent* a cr>oy *4.00 a year At all book stores, or The Century C<». limoi.Squ.irr \>'w York \u25a0 SEE Mrs: W. W^ Briggs One of Writers Who Will Act in Play ORIGINAL FARCE TO BE PRESENTED Piedmont Society • Women to Appear in a Play Written by Themselves OAKLAND, Dec. 27.— The first of a series of - original .productions, to be staged by. '.the Piedmont dramatic so ciety, will -take place : Friday evening in Mowbray . hall. .The proceeds will be contributed. to the Mowbray hall as sociation. The farce,. "A Misplaced Donation,"' written : by three Piedmont matrons, Mrs. Wallace Wheaton Briggs, Mrs. E. D. Crandall and Mrs. Frederick Helmboldt. will be given. \ Those ,in the .cast are three authors and Mrs. Wallace Dow and Mrs. Earl Nickel., ' • A musical program will be rendered by -Reginald Keene of. San Francisco, who will sing the "Sword Songr," and Mrs." Briggs, . who will, be heard In "Haymaking," by. 'Xeedham. : Mrs. Briggs and Keene Will contribute a duet from "The ..Love Tales of Hoff man." The second dramatic evening planned by the newly organized society prob ably; will be given. in -Ebell. club house. The farce will be from the pen of Karl Nickel' and Gerald P. Beaumont PETALUMAN BURNED IN ROLE OF SANTA CLAUS H. F. Arenberg's Clothes Catc^ Fire at Tree 1 [Special Dispatch to The Call) . PETALUMA, Dec. 27. — H.; F. Aren berg, who impersonated Santa Claus last night at a family^ Christmas tree, was badly burned when his clothes were ignited from a candle on th« tree. He .is In .a' critical" condition 'in the Petaluma "hospital.. . Arenberg is a manufacturer of -Petal umal '\u25a0'\u25a0\u25a0- SUDDEN DEATH OF A PIONEER BANKER L. W. Forsting, Vice Presideni of a Fruitvale Bank, Sue» f cumbs to Heart Disease J OAKLAND, Dec. 27.— Attacked bj* heart failure. L. W. Forsting. one oft the pioneer banking men of Oakland. 1 having been one of the original \u25bastock: holders In the Central bank of OaklandJ and vice president of the Citizen*' hank] of.Fruitvale, dropped dead this after J noon in the rear -of Moyle's groceryJ 2001 Fruitvale avenue. Forsting had gone there after a con«| versation with George K. Mowle. "vTh«n»J after an hour had passed and the agedjJ man had not reappeared Moyle becam«»] alarmed and opened the door of the' room. He found the banker lying dead! on the floor. The remains were removed to the Fruitvale morgue, -where an autopsy revealed that heart disease was. the cause of death. The - inauest will be held tomorrow afternoon. '. Forsting wag one of the pioneer sat* tiers of Oakland and took an. active part in its early banking Interests. He was also largely interested in develop- Ing-mlnlng properties. He had lived for several years at "the home of L. Roy. Robertson, cashier of .the Fruitvala* bank, 2306 Fruitvale avenue. • The only relatives of the aged bank-; er, so far as is known, are a married; son and daughter .livin? at El Paso, Tex. Until word is received from them' no arrangements will be made for the funeral. Forsting was SO years old. CORPORATION TAX LAW* ATTACKED BY FORAKER Unconstitutional, Ohioan De—! dares in Supreme Court Brief I WASHINGTON*. Dec. 27.— The contest over the constitutionality of the cor poration tax was renewed today In the supreme "court "of the United States,/ when former Senator Forakar of Ohio filed a brief attacking the law.. The brief submitted today argrue* that >the tax is laid neither on the cor poration itself and its franchise nor oq Its business, but on the entire net In come. The feature of the. tax which pro-* vide? for publicity of the returns ow which the tax is ascertained is at-* tacked, despite the amendment lastt! summer. This amendment provided that the. returns should be made public* only under rules and regulations which,, finally promulgated, provided for re-^ strlctions on publicity in certain re-* spects. but left open for inspection th« returns of corporations whose stock; was listed on a stock exchange or ad vertised in the pr* s -»* or offered for sala^ OFFICERS NOMINATED BY j GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY?! Prof. William Davis of Harvard] to Be President PITTSBURG. Dec. 27.— The Ameri^i can geological society nominated for; election to serve next year: President,- Prof. TVIIHatn T>nvl* rf nirrard; t!c«V presidents— "W". » N*. Rice. Conaectlcut We*., leyan; W. R. Srott. Prlnfptf>n: (.ecrpfary.-Dr. B. O. HoTey, American Jlusenm of Natural Hl»« ' tory. New York City: treasurer. W. B. Clark. Johns* Hopkins; librarian. 11. "P. dishing, West-! em Reserve. - ' The retiring president. Dr. Arnold Hague, made' his annual address to-[ night and the annual smoker was held*j STTZCIDE OF DI3CHAKG^D SAILOR— ?eattl». Dec. 27. — Joseph A. Mullaney. recently honor ably dlsohargeir f rom ' thn l-'nited States nary, wher* he aerred a* first cla«« «iaarterma»t«r • on the receiving ship Philadelphia, committed suicide In aa uptown hot^t yesterday by taking potson. Mnllaaey was with<mt fnitds and. w» despondent. . -